Author: CHUPESKA A.
Communicology. 2016. v.4, n.4
CHUPESKA Ana, MSci/PhD; Assistant Professor at University Ss. Cirilys and Methodious, Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus’ – Political Science Department.
Abstract: The rational consensus and deliberative democracy (Rawls & Habermas) are under serious suspicions since presupposed institutionalized conflict of interests in today’s democracies are out of order. Modus procedurandi (Shumpeter) seen as a benefit of contemporary democracy, too, many agree that doesn’t have any valuable use. This occurs for e.g. because, such conceptions are offering strictly rational point of view and consequently they have a tendency to disguise real conflicts that exists in societies (Mouffe). Principally important, anyhow, for democracy is citizens “right to participate” completely in decision making. But, if we tend to build democratic political system just being dependent on elections this could be a one way ticket towards authoritarian populism or we will face “totalitarian testament of democracy”. Younger transitional democracies could be seen as paradigmatic example of such particular deformation – experiencing their own democratic paradoxes and against background of a global crisis of legitimacy. Macedonia is a text-book example of such twist in democratic backside, an evidence – that for democracy to be established election are not sufficient. Unfortunately, the one is placed in a bind, whereby, on one hand there is declarative promotion of democracy [based just on elections!], while on the other hand, we are witnessing a de facto authoritarian populist regime. After elections in 2011, indeed, Macedonia faced its own authoritarian shadow because elections were not supplemented with other necessary democratic principles [rule of law, separation of powers, free media etc.]. Elections at the time, were fundamentally cheated and consequently the society experienced the greatest political crises in its history. In this line, some suggestions on electoral supplements as citizens symbolic “weapons” against authoritarian governments would be mentioned in order not to forget that “democracy has to be democratized in continuity”. Theoretical as well as practical references would be exposed.
Keywords: democracy, elections, legitimacy, authoritarian populism, authoritarian proceduralism, illiberal democracy, Macedonian crisis, civil disobedience
Text: PDF
Communicology. 2016. v.4, n.4
CHUPESKA Ana, MSci/PhD; Assistant Professor at University Ss. Cirilys and Methodious, Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus’ – Political Science Department.
Abstract: The rational consensus and deliberative democracy (Rawls & Habermas) are under serious suspicions since presupposed institutionalized conflict of interests in today’s democracies are out of order. Modus procedurandi (Shumpeter) seen as a benefit of contemporary democracy, too, many agree that doesn’t have any valuable use. This occurs for e.g. because, such conceptions are offering strictly rational point of view and consequently they have a tendency to disguise real conflicts that exists in societies (Mouffe). Principally important, anyhow, for democracy is citizens “right to participate” completely in decision making. But, if we tend to build democratic political system just being dependent on elections this could be a one way ticket towards authoritarian populism or we will face “totalitarian testament of democracy”. Younger transitional democracies could be seen as paradigmatic example of such particular deformation – experiencing their own democratic paradoxes and against background of a global crisis of legitimacy. Macedonia is a text-book example of such twist in democratic backside, an evidence – that for democracy to be established election are not sufficient. Unfortunately, the one is placed in a bind, whereby, on one hand there is declarative promotion of democracy [based just on elections!], while on the other hand, we are witnessing a de facto authoritarian populist regime. After elections in 2011, indeed, Macedonia faced its own authoritarian shadow because elections were not supplemented with other necessary democratic principles [rule of law, separation of powers, free media etc.]. Elections at the time, were fundamentally cheated and consequently the society experienced the greatest political crises in its history. In this line, some suggestions on electoral supplements as citizens symbolic “weapons” against authoritarian governments would be mentioned in order not to forget that “democracy has to be democratized in continuity”. Theoretical as well as practical references would be exposed.
Keywords: democracy, elections, legitimacy, authoritarian populism, authoritarian proceduralism, illiberal democracy, Macedonian crisis, civil disobedience
Text: PDF
